


what friends (?) are for

by Xephonia



Series: a pirate's life for me [6]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2019-01-20 06:53:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12427284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xephonia/pseuds/Xephonia
Summary: Captain Nasch's facing the gallows. He gets better.





	what friends (?) are for

As Ryouga's sins are being read out, he walks towards the gallows. Without his hat, which is regrettable. Especially because he won't die.

After all, a pirate's initiation involves escaping the gallows.

This isn't the first time.

In the crowd, Kaito is getting in a suitable position, sword drawn. He'll cut the noose.

 _He sure does a lot for what he calls a fuckbuddy_ , Ryouga muses, but he can't get lost in thoughts even more because the executioner pushes him forward.

A familiar feeling.

The executioner is shorter than Ryouga, about Yuuma's or Vector's height. His nails dig into Ryouga's skin painfully— even through the gloves— before he moves to putting the noose around Ryouga's neck.

The list of Ryouga's sins hasn't ended yet.

The youngest Arclight kid keeps reading them out, deliberately slow. Friends with Kaito, apparently. "—insulting government officials, pouring an alcoholic drink over Mr Heartland's clothes, spitting on late King Faker's grave—"

Kaito is to blame for the last one. Ryouga chuckles.

The executioner undoes his handcuffs. That makes no sense. Did Kaito bribe him or are they just being inattentive? Ryouga glances at the crowd, but Kaito seems just as—

Kaito is fighting.

"Oi, oi, Commander. You wouldn't be trying to help the rotten soul, would you?" That's Rikuo. "After all, he has tons of debt to pay with his life. Isn't that right, Ryouga?!"

_Shit._

"I owe you nothing, scum," Ryouga hisses loudly and attempts to move, but the executioner has an iron grip on his wrists.

"No moving allowed yet, Nasch." A familiar giggle. "Don't worry, the noose will rip. Probably. If not, I'd be finally rid of you."

"Ve—"

"Hey, hey. Don't spoil the surprise."

"What the fuck." Ryouga elbows Vector. 

Vector, who apparently can bribe people into giving him the honor of executing Ryouga. _Wow_.

Ryouga inspects the noose as Vector cheerfully puts it around his neck: the noose indeed has a cut in it, making it likely to tear.

In the crowd, Rikuo and Kaio are fighting Kaito two-on-one. Pathetic.

The room below the trapdoor has a exit, Ryouga knows. It's not open to spare the public the sight of a dead man.

"Talk about hypocrisy," he mutters to himself. "Wanting to watch what leads up to it, but not the result."

"That's people for 'ya," Vector sing-songs. "You're starting to sound like me."

"Not in hell."

Some meters over, Michael gulps and looks at Ryouga apologetically. His hesitation to read out the last sin is obvious. "—and seduction of a member of the Navy."

"That's not even a crime," Thomas points out drily, and Chris' face is stoic as ever.

Michael's closing words are but a whisper, "May the gods have mercy upon your soul."

Vector breaks into a fit of laughter and opens the trapdoor.

Ryouga has to admit that he, too, found that funny, given what Don Thousand is. The noose rips immediately, bruising his neck uncomfortably all the same.

Still alive though.

"Shark!"

_What._

Yuuma is there, hiding in a corner, food in hand and Ryouga's hat on his head. "I came to help!"

"Don't get involved—"

"Later!" Yuuma grins. "Don't worry, Vector taught me a shortcut!"

Ryouga has to keep himself from shouting Vector's name.

Yuuma runs ahead, passing through the crowd, not letting go of Ryouga's hand. "It's like the old times. Back at your first execution."

"You weren't supposed to get involved back then, either."

"Hehe~"

Yuuma jumps down a set of stairs before heading for the BARian. "It's still so cool that this is Alit's bar."

"Isn't it Kotori's bar at this point?" Ryouga enters with him, readjusting his coat. He also takes his hat back, and Yuuma smiles.

"Yuuma, I told you Shark wouldn't want— Shark?" Kotori's there, serving drinks, obviously surprised to see Ryouga there. "You know this will just fuel that rumour about you being a zombie."

"I already have a sister to scold me, thanks," Ryouga says, sighing. "Can you give me a drink and put it on Alit's tab?"

Which is a lame joke, given how it's Alit's bar in the first place.

"Non-alcoholic only."

"Come on."

"Have you heard the rumours of what happens whenever you get drunk?"

There's no point in arguing with Kotori. Rio has rubbed off on her way too much. "Yeah, yeah. Fine."

"And don't think I forgot about you, Yuuma."

Yuuma nervously rubs the back of his head. "I can explain—"

"I told you Vector meaning well doesn't mean his actions aren't way too dangerous!"

"I know, I know, but Shark—"

"Shark knows this city just as well as you do, you just wanted in on the action."

"Kotoriii," Yuuma whines.

Ryouga may or may not have missed this. "So, did Ri— Merag pass by here yet?"

Seven days is the time people can disappear unannounced before the crew has to look for them.

"Merag? Oh, yeah. She said she's helping Kaito." Kotori hands Ryouga his 'drink'.

Water.

Which tastes surprisingly okay after two months of rum.

"So, Shark. What got you into that situation?"

"That name is—"

"Shaaaaark." Yuuma pouts.

"Fine." Ryouga sighs. "I poured rum over Heartland's coat."

Mr Heartland, self-proclaimed (not-)mayor of Heartland, held in power by late King Faker's will (which he may or may not have forged). A sleazebag, and— according to Kaito— a dirty cat burglar. 

Ryouga didn't have much patience for Heartland's "you can't just take Haruto on a boat ride to a cursed island".

Yuuma's following laughter is interrupted by the door swinging open to reveal Rio carrying a wounded Vector over her shoulder, quickly followed by an equally wounded Kaito.

Ryouga panics immediately. "I can explain—"

"You suck," Vector says, coughing before getting shushed by Rio.

"Shut up, Vector. And Nasch. What the fuck."

Ryouga crosses his arms. "You would've done the same."

"You survived thanks to—" She drops Vector in front of Ryouga's feet. "This guy. That is pathetic."

Ryouga scowls. "I couldn't have known—"

"—that you have enemies and Kaito was sure to be prevented from saving you? Are you stupid?" Rio crosses her arms, then her frown turns to a smile as soon as she spots Kotori. "Kotori!"

Kotori smiles back. "R—" She holds her hand in front of her mouth. Then. "Merag." A tint of red on her cheeks.

Ryouga rolls his eyes. "I'll treat Kaito's wounds." He looks at Vector. "How the hell did you get hurt?"

Vector points at Kaito. "This guy used me as a distraction. Fucking bastard."

Ryouga laughs. "You deserve it."

Kaito, who'd been quiet until then, shows something that looks like amusement. "Revenge for that time you wanted to kill me."

"Oh, come on, Nasch came right to your rescue anyway." Vector is prevented from further taunting people because Yuuma pulls him to his feet. 

"You're wounded, Shingetsu!" Yuuma checks Vector's wounds, and there it is; Vector's not-entirely-fake laugh, the way he glances at Yuuma and—

Ryouga rolls his eyes, again. "Ugh."

"You're the wrong one to talk," Rio points out, glancing in Kaito's direction. "Though I agree Yuuma is choosing terrible company."

Vector coughs. "You know I can hear you."

"So? You two are terrible company, it's not a secret."

"Don't lump me in with that asshole," Ryouga says, bandaging Kaito's arm a little too tightly in his anger.

"That's my line." Vector glares.

Ryouga raises an eyebrow, if only to mock him. Rio and Kotori excuse themselves to a room in the back.

Yuuma looks in the direction they walked to. "They're weird."

Ryouga decides to not comment on how Yuuma saying that is kind of ironic. Instead, he chuckles.

"But I have to say, I'm surprised none of you has killed the other yet." Kaito seems amused, looking from Vector to Ryouga.

"We can't, we got a deal." Ryouga looks in the general direction of the sea. Don Thousand wouldn't let them.

"I bet you wouldn't even if you could." Kaito crosses his legs.

"I would."

"He would try and fail," Vector interjects.

"Because he's too soft?" Yuuma asks with light laughter.

Ryouga can't be mad. "I'm not soft."

This time, Vector and Kaito look at each other, then at Ryouga. "You totally are."


End file.
